Introduction to the Voice of the Silence H. P. Blavatsky 3/4

Fragment III

The Seven Portals

This fragment portrays a chela passing through seven portals, which correspond the six perfections (paramitas) of Mahayana Buddhism, with Viraga (equanimity) added. The Paramitas are described as golden keys that open each portal. They are structured according to the Theosophical sevenfold principles. The first four are connected to the last three by the Antahkarana. The Buddhist doctrine of the three bodies (Trikaya), termed the three vestures, is discussed.

Section 1 (Stanzas 196-214) Introduction to the Paramitas

200 – The Pâramitâ heights are crossed by a still steeper path. Thou hast to fight thy way through portals seven, seven strongholds held by cruel crafty Powers — passions incarnate.

Section 2 (Stanzas 215-229) Attuning to Alaya, the World-Soul.

221 – Of teachers there are many; the MASTER-SOUL is one (8), Alaya, the Universal Soul. Live in that MASTER as Its ray in thee. Live in thy fellows as they live in It. 

228- Hast thou attuned thy being to Humanity’s great pain, O candidate for light? 

Section 3 (Stanzas 230- 232) The Seven Gates – Key 1- Dana charity and love immortal

231- Behold, O happy Pilgrim! The portal that faceth thee is high and wide, seems easy of access. The road that leads therethrough is straight and smooth and green. ‘Tis like a sunny glade in the dark forest depths, a spot on earth mirrored from Amitâbha’s paradise. There, nightingales of hope and birds of radiant plumage sing perched in green bowers, chanting success to fearless Pilgrims. They sing of Bodhisattvas’ virtues five, the fivefold source of Bodhi power, and of the seven steps in Knowledge. 

 

The 5 spiritual faculties,(indriya),

(1) faith (saddhā),
(2) energy (viriya),
(3) mindfulness (sati),
(4) concentration (samādhi),
(5) wisdom (paññā).

 

Seven elements for enlightenment (Skt. saptabodhyaṅga; )

1- mindfulness (Skt. smṛti)
2- discernment of phenomena (Skt. sharmapravicaya)
3- diligence (Skt. vīrya)
4- joy (Skt. prīti)
5- pliancy (Skt. praśrabdhi)
6- samadhi (Skt. samādhi)
7- equanimity (Skt. upekṣā)

 

Section 4 (Stanzas 233- 235) The Seven Gates – 2- Sila, Harmony in word and act

235- Fear, O disciple, kills the will and stays all action. If lacking in the Śîla virtue, — the pilgrim trips, and Karmic pebbles bruise his feet along the rocky path. 

Section 5 (Stanzas 236- 241) The Seven Gates – 3- Kshanti, patience sweet, that nought can ruffle

239- The more thou dost advance, the more thy feet pitfalls will meet. The path that leadeth on, is lighted by one fire — the light of daring, burning in the heart. The more one dares, the more he shall obtain. The more he fears, the more that light shall pale — and that alone can guide. For as the lingering sunbeam, that on the top of some tall mountain shines, is followed by black night when out it fades, so is heart-light. When out it goes, a dark and threatening shade will fall from thine own heart upon the path, and root thy feet in terror to the spot.

Section 6 (Stanzas 242- 248) The Seven Gates – 4- Viraga, indifference to pleasure and to pain

242- Ere thou canst near that goal, before thine hand is lifted to upraise the fourth gate’s latch, thou must have mustered all the mental changes in thy Self and slain the army of the thought sensations that, subtle and insidious, creep unasked within the Soul’s bright shrine.

Section 7 (Stanzas 249- 260)  Crossing the moat and hedging in the Holy Isle

250- All is impermanent in man except the pure bright essence of Alaya. Man is its crystal ray; a beam of light immaculate within, a form of clay material upon the lower surface. That beam is thy life-guide and thy true Self, the Watcher and the silent Thinker, the victim of thy lower Self. Thy Soul cannot be hurt but through thy erring body; control and master both, and thou art safe when crossing to the nearing “Gate of Balance.”

Section 8 (Stanzas 260- 272)  Jnana Marga and the Unshakeable Fixity of Mind

258- Thou hast removed pollution from thine heart and bled it from impure desire. But, O thou glorious combatant, thy task is not yet done. Build high, Lanoo, the wall that shall hedge in the Holy Isle,* the dam that will protect thy mind from pride and satisfaction at thoughts of the great feat achieved.

Section 9 (Stanzas 273- 276) The Seven Gates – 5- Virya, dauntless energy 

273- The fearless warrior, his precious life-blood oozing from his wide and gaping wounds, will still attack the foe, drive him from out his stronghold, vanquish him, ere he himself expires. Act then, all ye who fail and suffer, act like him; and from the stronghold of your Soul, chase all your foes away — ambition, anger, hatred, e’en to the shadow of desire — when even you have failed. . .

Section 10 (Stanzas 277- 280) The Seven Gates – 6- Dhyana, door to ceaseless contemplation

279- Thou hast estranged thyself from objects of the senses, travelled on the “Path of seeing,” on the “Path of hearing,” and standest in the light of Knowledge. Thou hast now reached Titikshâ state (22).

(22). Titikshâ is the fifth state of Râja Yoga — one of supreme indifference; submission, if necessary, to what is called “pleasures and pains for all,” but deriving neither pleasure nor pain from such submission — in short, the becoming physically, mentally, and morally indifferent and insensible to either pleasure or pain.

Section 11 (Stanzas 281- 295) Bodhisattvic Powers and Renunciation

293- Self-doomed to live through future Kalpas,* unthanked and unperceived by man; wedged as a stone with countless other stones which form the “Guardian Wall” (28), such is thy future if the seventh gate thou passest. Built by the hands of many Masters of Compassion, raised by their tortures, by their blood cemented, it shields mankind, since man is man, protecting it from further and far greater misery and sorrow.

[*Cycles of ages.]

(28). The “Guardian Wall” or the “Wall of Protection.” It is taught that the accumulated efforts of long generations of Yogis, Saints and Adepts, especially of the Nirmânakâyas — have created, so to say, a wall of protection around mankind, which wall shields mankind invisibly from still worse evils.

Section 12 (Stanzas 296- 305) the Ârya Path, Path of the Buddhas of perfection

299- Not so when he hath crossed and won the Aryahata Path.* 

300- There Kleśa (29) is destroyed for ever, Tanhâ’s (30) roots torn out. But stay, Disciple . . . Yet, one word. Canst thou destroy divine compassion? Compassion is no attribute. It is the LAW of laws — eternal Harmony, Alaya’s SELF; a shoreless universal essence, the light of everlasting Right, and fitness of all things, the law of love eternal.

Section 13 (Stanzas 306- 308) The Trikaya

306- “Yea; on the Ârya Path thou art no more Srotâpatti, thou art a Bodhisattva (33). The stream is cross’d. ‘Tis true thou hast a right to Dharmakâya vesture; but Sambhogakâya is greater than a Nirvânî, and greater still is a Nirmânakâya — the Buddha of Compassion (34).

Section 14 (Stanzas 309- 316) The Seven Gates – 7- Wisdom, makes one a Bodhisattva, son of the Dhyânis

309- Thou shalt attain the seventh step and cross the gate of final knowledge but only to wed woe — if thou would’st be Tathâgata, follow upon thy predecessor’s steps, remain unselfish till the endless end. 

Through the Gates of Gold 4 Mabel Collins Chapter 5a The Secret of Strength

Through the Gates of Gold : A Fragment of Thought is a wonderful, profound, eloquent work, the study of which offers many insights and valuable seeds of inspiration… Intimately linked with that well-regarded spiritual classic, Light on the Path, and they are often packaged together; indeed, studying this text in relation to corresponding passages in Light on the Path is recommended, and in general, can be viewed as a good introduction to that more demanding text. We are also indebted to Mabel Collins for a third theosophical classic, The Idyll of the White Lotus, of which T. Subba Row has written a remarkable commentary, nigh indispensable for unlocking the profundities of that fascinating work.

Information on Mabel Collins and the possible original author of this work:
http://blavatskyarchives.com/sisson1.htm

The Golden Gate, is a semi-legendary Jerusalem gate with mystical symbolic import. Taken up by Christian culture, appearing in 19th c. hymns, adopted with full mystical meaning in Theosophy, Mabel Collins,Through the Gates of Gold, and continues to seen in popular culture, for example with a 2015 Los Lobos album. For the world history of this symbol see, Architecture, Mysticism and Myth, by W.R. Lethaby, [1892] Chapter 8, The Golden Gate of the Sun. 

We embark  on the final (and best)  part of this great spiritual classic. There are three chapters, but chapters 2 & 3 are quite rich so there will be a final post after this one.

This first part echoes Dhammapa 103-105

Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men, is he who would conquer just one —    himself. Better to conquer yourself than others.When you’ve trained yourself, living in constant self-control, neither a deva nor gandhabba, nor a Mara banded with Brahmas, could turn that triumph back into defeat.

or from Proverbs:

16.32. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.

First you need the strength to step forward. This comes from conviction. This entails preserving stillness amid the din and bustle of the noisy world. Then one finds peace, which gives power, the power of faith that moves mountains…

Part tow deals with the discipline required for self-maintenance and self-care, equated with the image of cultivating a garden.

Part 1 STRENGTH to step forward is the primary need of him who has chosen his path. Where is this to be found? Looking round, it is not hard to see where other men find their strength. Its source is profound conviction. Through this great moral power is brought to birth in the natural life of the man that which enables him, however frail he may be, to go on and conquer. Conquer what? Not continents, not worlds, but himself. Through that supreme victory is obtained the entrance to the whole, where all that might be conquered and obtained by effort becomes at once not his, but himself.

Part 2 The great life of the world rushes by, and we are in danger each instant that it will overwhelm us or even utterly destroy us. There is no defence to be offered to it; no opposition army can be set up, because in this life every man fights his own battle against every other man, and no two can be united under the same banner. There is only one way of escape from this terrible danger which we battle against every hour. Turn round, and instead of standing against the forces, join them; become one with Nature, and go easily upon her path. Do not resist or resent the circumstances of life any more than the plants resent the rain and the wind. Then suddenly, to your own amazement, you find you have time and strength to spare, to use in the great battle which it is inevitable every man must fight, — that in himself, that which leads to his own conquest.

Cultivate, then, to the very utmost; forget no inch of your garden ground, no smallest plant that grows in it; make no foolish pretence nor fond mistake in the fancy that you are ready to forget it, and so subject it to the frightful consequences of half-measures. The plant that is watered today and forgotten tomorrow must dwindle or decay. The plant that looks for no help but from Nature itself measures its strength at once, and either dies and is re-created or grows into a great tree whose boughs fill the sky. But make no mistake like the religionists and some philosophers; leave no part of yourself neglected while you know it to be yourself.

But you must have learned to study the stars to some purpose before you dare to neglect your roses, and omit to fill the air with their cultivated fragrance. You must know your way through the trackless air, and from thence to the pure ether; you must be ready to lift the bar of the Golden Gate. Cultivate, I say, and neglect nothing. Only remember, all the while you tend and water, that you are impudently usurping the tasks of Nature herself. Having usurped her work, you must carry it through until you have reached a point when she has no power to punish you, when you are not afraid of her, but can with a bold front return her her own. 

The man who is strong, who has resolved to find the unknown path, takes with the utmost care every step. He utters no idle word, he does no unconsidered action, he neglects no duty or office however homely or however difficult. But while his eyes and hands and feet are thus fulfilling their tasks, new eyes and hands and feet are being born within him. For his passionate and unceasing desire is to go that way on which the subtile organs only can guide him. The physical world he has learned, and knows how to use; gradually his power is passing on, and he recognizes the psychic world. But he has to learn this world and know how to use it, and he dare not lose hold of the life he is familiar with till he has taken hold of that with which he is unfamiliar.

He has been born into the psychic world, and depends now on the psychic air and light. His goal is not here: this is but a subtile repetition of physical life; he has to pass through it according to similar laws. He must study, learn, grow, and conquer; never forgetting the while that his goal is that place where there is no air nor any sun or moon.

Do not imagine that in this line of progress the man himself is being moved or changing his place. Not so. The truest illustration of the process is that of cutting through layers of crust or skin. The man, having learned his lesson fully, casts off the physical life; having learned his lesson fully, casts off the psychic life; having learned his lesson fully, casts off the contemplative life, or life of adoration.

All are cast aside at last, and he enters the great temple where any memory of self or sensation is left outside as the shoes are cast from the feet of the worshipper. That temple is the place of his own pure divinity, the central flame which, however obscured, has animated him through all these struggles. And having found this sublime home he is sure as the heavens themselves. He remains still, filled with all knowledge and power. The outer man, the adoring, the acting, the living personification, goes its own way hand in hand with Nature, and shows all the superb strength of the savage growth of the earth, lit by that instinct which contains knowledge. For in the inmost sanctuary, in the actual temple, the man has found the subtile essence of Nature herself. No longer can there be any difference between them or any half-measures.

And now comes the hour of action and power. In that inmost sanctuary all is to be found: God and his creatures, the fiends who prey on them, those among men who have been loved, those who have been hated. Difference between them exists no longer. Then the soul of man laughs in its strength and fearlessness, and goes forth into the world in which its actions are needed, and causes these actions to take place without apprehension, alarm, fear, regret, or joy.

Astrology: Spring Equinox, March 19, 2024 - Part 2 - Chart

Sink or Swim

 

Just a week before the year's first eclipse, as we enter a very positive period of the year, with three strong Jupiter aspects,

Apr 20 – Jupiter conjunct Uranus, May 23 – Jupiter sextile Neptune,

Jun 02 – Jupiter trine Pluto, with Jupiter sextile Saturn still in orb,  the chart itself is quite simple and striking.

1- Moon, Sun, Pluto triangle of potential

We have a tight Moon in Cancer-Pluto in Aquarius opposition, on the cusp of the sign, which gives added energy. There was also a Moon-Pluto opposition in last year's Summer chart, which was quite a tumultuous season. It is in positive trine and sextile aspects to the Sun, which is conjunct to Neptune, forming a strong triangle of potential, which gives the aspect pattern exceptional support for dealing with the opposition.

Moon opposition Pluto An issue from the past, or something hidden may come up, or one could lose something. Intensity in one's personal relationships and/or some sort of inner emotional turmoil is possible.

 

Sun sextile Pluto Opportunities to find or renew something lost, and to gain some power are possible. There energy and drive to accomplish things.

 

Sun trine Moon Achievement is smooth. Recuperative powers are increased. The possibility of some form of recognition or validation for what you do may come. It’s a good time to mend relationship problems and to surround yourself with people.

Sun conjunct Neptune

There is a strong desire for peace and harmony and perhaps some sense that one has to make sacrifices for that end. One may behave in an impractical manner, or  be vulnerable to deception or betrayal. There can be illusions and confusion, or it can be a very inspired.

2- Mars square Uranus.

Mars square Uranus was exact on March 9. It can be quite volatile and effects can start to be felt roughly two weeks before March 9 and  lasting until two weeks after. Downside: violent manifestations. Upshot: Mars energy can be used positively, or good time to learn to deal with it. It's nature is rebellious, restless, impulsive. It can bring accidents, sudden changes and fluctuating energy.

3- Venus, which is conjunct with Saturn, is sextile to the oncoming Jupiter conjunct Uranus.

Venus sextile Jupiter  This is a cooperative, happy influence. Consideration for others, cheerfulness, and a positive attitude towards relationships are themes now.

 

Venus conjunct Saturn Relationships are stabilized and steady, although feelings are expressed reservedly, formally, or sparingly. Problems in personal relationships that have been swept under the carpet may surface now, and we are ready to face them. Support from older people or authority figures may come. Renewed ties to old friends are possible.

Jupiter conjunct Uranus, brings of feeling of high spirits, ready to discover, explore, and innovate. This transit is exciting, futuristic, and original. The need for progressive change becomes glaringly apparent under this influence. 

Summary

Coming off a volatile Mars square Uranus on March 9, we begin the astrological new year moving into Aries with some very positive aspects. The striking Moon opposite Pluto aspect signals some emotional turmoil, relationship tensions, but there are strong motivations for resolving past difficulties.  Moon in Cancer gives a strong focus on families issues. The chart has five planets in water signs, so overall, the chart brings an emotional, introspective focus, a deep dive into the unconscious, as it were. Only Mercury is in a fire sign, Aries, so there should still be some outspoken intellectual sharpness. The Mars square Uranus aspect could still have an influence for another week, and the volatile Mars square Pluto will bring some tensions to the beginning of June in an otherwise very favorable period. Venus in Pisces inspires one to be all-embracing, forgive and understand in a very stable and responsible manner, thus further reinforcing the potential for dealing with anxieties, as we enter a more optimistic, adventuresome period.

 

Prognostic

The chart is strongly geared to resolving past issues or conflicts, healing traumas or discovering or recovering something or someone from the past. There is a significant amount of combative Mars energy of a volatile potential. There is also a potential to enjoy an optimistic, cheerful, cooperative, progressive period where projects of social change can enter the picture.

 

Major Spring Aspects

Mar 25 – Lunar Eclipse in Libra

Apr 01 – Mercury Retrograde in Aries

Apr 08 – Solar Eclipse in Aries

Apr 20 – Jupiter conjunct Uranus

Apr 25 – Mercury direct

May 23 – Jupiter sextile Neptune

May 25 – Jupiter in Gemini until June 9, 2025

Jun 02 – Jupiter trine Pluto

Jun 10 – Neptune sextile Pluto in orb not exact until 2026

Jun 11 –  Mars square Pluto (Aquarius) *

 

References
https://cafeastrology.com/thisweekinastrology.html

 

Part 1

Astrology: Spring Equinox, March 19, 2024 - Part 1 - Review

For the Winter prognostic, I wrote:

Overall, passions can run high with a need for exotic escapism, with psychological insecurities accompanied by deceit and abuse. Volatile confrontations are possible, with possibilities for introspection into unresolved past difficulties bringing personal change. Channeling these energies into creative pursuits can bring good results. Despite the unusual, passionate fascinations and partnerships, there is a general sense of efficiency, practical organization, with articulate open communication. It is a good time for laying the groundwork and negotiating for productive solutions, and resolving personal difficulties, but it can be difficult to finalize lasting agreements.

One curious incident occurred on February 24 in Glasgow, Scotland, The Willy Chocolate Experience, which became a viral internet sensation, could be said to encapsulate the first part of the prognostic. A striking song that conveys a sense of personal introspection, Billie Eilish's - What Was I Made For? from the Barbie film, won a Grammy and an Oscar.

 

Moreover, two films dealing with the legacy of World War Two, Oppenheimer and The Boy and the Heron, received best film Oscar nods, with Killers of the Flower Moon, a film that deals with past social traumas and injustices, receiving ten Oscar nominations, perhaps reflecting some important themes in the current US Pluto return.

Around the time of the intense Winter Solstice,  a Prague university experienced one of the deadliest mass shooting the Czech Republic has seen in decades. The new year witnessed a massive earthquake in Japan,  along Japan’s western coast of a 7.5 magnitude. The quake shook the Noto Peninsula in the central prefecture of Ishikawa collapsing buildings, sparking fires and triggering tsunami alerts as far away as eastern Russia.

Pluto returned to Aquarius on January 21^st, and there was a major earthquake in China, snowstorms in the US, and a new temple for Ram in India was inaugurated. A difficult Mars square Uranus aspect occurred on March 9 and Haiti’s PM Ariel Henry tenders resignation as country descends into gang-faction chaos, Sudan is being reprimanded for blocking Humanitarian Aid amidst a hunger crisis, with Sweden officially becoming a member of Nato.

With Pluto in Aquarius on January 21, we’ll see the beginning of a more favorable period, a precursor to 2025, which begins an optimistic 10-year phase in the 20-year Jupiter-Saturn cycle. Optimistic does not necessarily mean peaceful. It can signal a gung-ho conquest energy as well as cooperative, peace-building trends. Moving into April 20, a trio of jovial aspects highlight this period:  Jupiter conjunct Uranus, Jupiter sextile Neptune, Jupiter trine Pluto. But beginning in August, the rest of the year will be more difficult, culminating in an intense mutable Grand Cross at the Winter Solstice. I see this as a final adjustment phase before entering a distinctly new and positive phase in 2025.

PS- No doubt a lot of new age spiritual awakening enthusiasts can interpret the upcoming positive aspects mystically, but I just stick to the down-to-earth, concrete, fact-based data.

Part 2

Astrology: Jupiter conjunct Uranus April 20, 2024

After Pluto's return to Aquarius on January 21,  we are now entering the influence of a major positive aspect for 2024. According to Robert Hand: 

'you will strive now for a kind of freedom you have never known before.' 'you will seek in every way to express what it means to be young and free'. 'The most negative aspect of this transit is reluctance to live up to your responsibilities'. 'You find it very hard to accept sordid or unjust conditions'; 'you may become involved in a reform movement or group that works to change social conditions'. 'It may mean a sudden break or opportunity from an entirely unexpected quarter-a sudden promotion for example, a sudden windfall or a sudden encounter with someone who proves to be beneficial to you'. 'you can expect a sudden broadening of the scope of your life and the opportunity to encounter life from a new, richer and broader perspective. This may come about through a major transforming event or through a series of minor ones that collectively have a large impact. (Planets in Transit, 298)

Text below, an abridged version of an article by Athen Chimenti, 25 February 2024

As we stand on the brink of Uranus's entry into Taurus, we move towards a dynamic planetary alignment: Jupiter conjunct Uranus. The conjunction takes place on April 20th 2024 signaling groundbreaking shifts to the collective consciousness.

Jupiter and Uranus are only conjunct around once every 14 years. Jupiter symbolizes growth, opportunity, and the broader aspects of existence, while Uranus represents sudden changes and disruptions. Their conjunction in the sign of Taurus—a sign associated with stability and material resources—suggests an upcoming fusion of stability and change that could manifest as a wave of technological and social reforms. What does this mean for us on Earth? Think of it as a cosmic push towards progress. Where Jupiter expands, Uranus revolutionizes. It's a call to embrace the new while recognizing the value of tradition and sustainability that Taurus represents.

 

This is a time to be open to breakthroughs. Whether in personal growth, professional paths, or spiritual journeys, the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction is your cue to reach for innovation while staying grounded in the earthy pragmatism of Taurus.

 

Jupiter in Taurus promises the opportunity for abundance, but not without effort. Taurus, known for its steadfast nature, turns Jupiter's usual quick gains into long-term investments. It's a time when growth is best achieved through persistence and a methodical approach. Jupiter in Taurus also brings a renewed focus on the material world. This period may see a heightened interest in environmental concerns, economic stability, and the cultivation of resources. As Taurus values the senses, this transit could also herald a period where the arts and sensory experiences flourish.

Uranus is the planet that shakes up the status quo, and in Taurus, it challenges our fundamental concepts of security, comfort, and value.The energy of Uranus is electric and unpredictable. In the sign of the bull, known for its love of stability, we're faced with the paradox of change in the realm of the unchangeable. It's a cosmic contradiction that promises to revolutionize our approach to finances, the environment, and our values. During Uranus's transit through Taurus, we can expect disruptions in the financial sector—cryptocurrency and alternative banking could come to the forefront. There's also a potential for groundbreaking advancements in how we manage natural resources.

There is a strong likelihood that humanity starts to use technology to get back in touch with nature. A large push towards using technology for agriculture, natural energy, and environmentalism are all very likely during this period - accelerating the growth from prior years. It is a great time for using innovative techniques for becoming more self-reliant individually and societally.

See also Jupiter in Taurus

Introduction to the Voice of the Silence H. P. Blavatsky 1/4

Blavatsky's The Voice of the Silence has established itself a classic of spiritual guidance, providing inspiration to many since it's publication in 1889. It contains many Hinduistic and Buddhistic elements, see Bhagavad Gita - Theosophical Bibliography, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras,  Buddhism of H. P. Blavatsky, Henk J. Spierenbur. For a full commentary, see https://universaltheosophy.com/mca/exploring-the-voice-of-the-silence/

In 1927 the staff of the 9th Panchen Lama Tub-ten Cho-gyi Nyima helped Theosophists put out the "Peking Edition" of The Voice of the Silence and he wrote a short dedication. (Blavatsky H.P. The Voice of the Silence, ed. Alice Cleather and Basil Crump. Peking: Chinese Buddhist Research Society, 1927. – P. 113).  Zen Buddhism scholar D. T. Suzuki wrote: “The Voice of the Silence is true Mahayanistic doctrine. Undoubtedly, Madame Blavatsky had in some way been initiated into the deeper side of Mahayana teachings and then gave out what she deemed wise to the Western world as theosophy." (“The Eastern Buddhist” vol. V no.4 July 1931). The 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso wrote:"I believe that this book has strongly influenced many sincere seekers and aspirants to the wisdom and compassion of the Bodhisattva Path." (Blavatsky Helena The Voice of the Silence. Centenary edition. Santa Barbara: Concord Grove Press, 1989. // Foreword by the 14th Dalai Lama).

Preface

1- The following pages are derived from “The Book of the Golden Precepts,” one of the works put into the hands of mystic students in the East. The knowledge of them is obligatory in that school, the teachings of which are accepted by many Theosophists. Therefore, as I know many of these Precepts by heart, the work of translating has been relatively an easy task for me.

When she later left the Theosophical Society, Mabel Collins began to maintain that she had written the book entirely of her own inspiration and volition, to which HPB replied in a circulated letter of 1889:

“If she is the sole author of Light on the Path, how comes it that she, ignorant of Sanskrit and having never seen the Golden Precepts, could use so many sentences bodily enshrined in that purely Occult work? . . . “Before the voice can speak in the presence of the Masters it must have lost its power to wound.” . . . “Seek in the heart the source of evil and expunge it.” These are aphorisms as old as the Book of the Golden Precepts, from which they radiated – “on the walls” – and thence into Light on the Path.” (Blavatsky, CollectedWritings (Extracts from “Lucifer,”“Light,”and Elsewhere) vol. XI, pp. 313-30.)

2- It is well known that, in India, the methods of psychic development differ with the Gurus (teachers or masters), not only because of their belonging to different schools of philosophy, of which there are six, but because every Guru has his own system, which he generally keeps very secret. But beyond the Himalayas the method in the Esoteric Schools does not differ, unless the Guru is simply a Lama, but little more learned than those he teaches.

In the former countries these three Universes were allegorized, in exoteric teachings, by the three trinities emanating from the Central eternal germ and forming with it a Supreme Unity: the initial, the manifested, and the Creative Triad, or the three in One. The last is but the symbol, in its concrete expression, of the first ideal two. Hence Esoteric philosophy passes over the necessarianism of this purely metaphysical conception, and calls the first one, only, the Ever Existing. This is the view of every one of the six great schools of Indian philosophy — the six principles of that unit body of Wisdom of which the “gnosis,” the hidden knowledge, is the seventh. (Blavatsky, Helena, The Secret Doctrine, Vol. I, p. 278)

3- The work from which I here translate forms part of the same series as that from which the “Stanzas” of the Book of Dzyan were taken, on which the Secret Doctrine is based. Together with the great mystic work called Paramârtha, which, the legend of Nâgârjuna tells us, was delivered to the great Arhat by the Nâgas or “Serpents” (in truth a name given to the ancient Initiates), the “Book of the Golden Precepts” claims the same origin.

“The allegory that regarded Nâgârjuna’s “Paramârtha” as a gift from the Nâgas (Serpents) shows that he received his teachings from the secret school of adepts, and that the real tenets are therefore kept secret.” — (Blavatsy, Helena. Theosophical Glossary, Mâdhyamikas)

Blavatsky, Collected Writings, 14, 285:

Nāgārjuna [a “mythological” personage “without any real existence,” the learned German scholar thinks] received the book Paramārtha, or according to others, the book Avatamsaka, from the Nāgas, fabulous creatures of the nature of serpents, who occupy a place among the beings superior to man, and are regarded as protectors of the law of the Buddha. To these spiritual beings Śākyamumi is said to have taught a more philosophical religious system than to men, who were not sufficiently advanced to understand it at the time of his appearance.*

* Buddhism in Tibet, p. 31. [London, Trübner, 1863; also London, Susil Gupta,

1968. Paramārtha means the Prajnā-Pāramitā Sūtras.]

4- Yet its maxims and ideas, however noble and original, are often found under different forms in Sanskrit works, such as the Jñâneśvari, that superb mystic treatise in which Krishna describes to Arjuna in glowing colours the condition of a fully illumined Yogi; and again in certain Upanishads. This is but natural, since most, if not all, of the greatest Arhats, the first followers of Gautama Buddha were Hindus and Âryans, not Mongolians, especially those who emigrated into Tibet. The works left by Âryâsanga alone are very numerous.

The Dnyaneshwari, also referred to as Jnaneshwari or Bhavartha Deepika is a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita written by the Marathi saint and poet Dnyaneshwar in 1290 CE. Dnyaneshwar (born 1275) lived a short life of 21 years, and this commentary is notable to have been composed in his teens. The text is the oldest surviving literary work in the Marathi language, one that inspired major Bhakti movement saint-poets such as Eknath and Tukaram of the Varkari (Vithoba) tradition.The Dnyaneshwari interprets the Bhagavad Gita in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism.The philosophical depth of the text has been praised for its aesthetic as well as scholarly value. (Dnyandev; Pradhan, Vitthal Ganesh (1987), Lambert, Hester Marjorie (ed.), Dnyaneshwari : Bhāvārthadipikā, State University of New York Press, p. x-xi)

Asaṅga (fl. 4th century C.E.) was “one of the most important spiritual figures” of Mahayana Buddhism and the “founder of the Yogachara school”. Traditionally, he and his half-brother Vasubandhu are regarded as the major classical Indian Sanskrit exponents of Mahayana Abhidharma, Vijñanavada (awareness only) thought and Mahayana teachings on the bodhisattva path. (Asanga, The Bodhisattva Path to Unsurpassed Enlightenment: A Complete Translation of the Bodhisattvabhumi, Shambhala Publications, 2016, Translator’s introduction.)

5- The original Precepts are engraved on thin oblong squares; copies very often on discs. These discs, or plates, are generally preserved on the altars of the temples attached to centres where the so-called “contemplative” or Mahâyâna (Yogâchâra) schools are established. They are written variously, sometimes in Tibetan but mostly in ideographs. The sacerdotal language (Senzar), besides an alphabet of its own, may be rendered in several modes of writing in cypher characters, which partake more of the nature of ideographs than of syllables. Another method (lug, in Tibetan) is to use the numerals and colours, each of which corresponds to a letter of the Tibetan alphabet (thirty simple and seventy-four compound letters) thus forming a complete cryptographic alphabet.

When the ideographs are used there is a definite mode of reading the text; as in this case the symbols and signs used in astrology, namely the twelve zodiacal animals and the seven primary colours, each a triplet in shade, i.e. the light, the primary, and the dark — stand for the thirty-three letters of the simple alphabet, for words and sentences. For in this method, the twelve “animals” five times repeated and coupled with the five elements and the seven colours, furnish a whole alphabet composed of sixty sacred letters and twelve signs.

6- The Book of the Golden Precepts — some of which are pre-Buddhistic while others belong to a later date — contains about ninety distinct little treatises. Of these I learnt thirty-nine by heart, years ago. To translate the rest, I should have to resort to notes scattered among a too large number of papers and memoranda collected for the last twenty years and never put in order, to make of it by any means an easy task. Nor could they be all translated and given to a world too selfish and too much attached to objects of sense to be in any way prepared to receive such exalted ethics in the right spirit. For, unless a man perseveres seriously in the pursuit of self-knowledge, he will never lend a willing ear to advice of this nature.

Memorization is a significant part of a monk’s daily schedule, and mainly serves three purposes: memorizing philosophical texts for debate, memorizing prayers and rituals, and memorizing practical, advice-oriented texts. Each monk is free to choose how much he emphasizes any of these three. (Ven. Tenzin Gache (Brian Roiter) Memorization: Beneficial Exercise for the Mind)

7- And yet such ethics fill volumes upon volumes in Eastern literature, especially in the Upanishads. “Kill out all desire of life,” says Krishna to Arjuna. That desire lingers only in the body, the vehicle of the embodied Self, not in the SELF which is “eternal, indestructible, which kills not nor is it killed” (Katha Upanishad). “Kill out sensation,” teaches Sutta Nipâta; “look alike on pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat.” Again, “Seek shelter in the eternal alone” (ibid). “Destroy the sense of separateness,” repeats Krishna under every form. “The Mind (Manas) which follows the rambling senses, makes the Soul (Buddhi) as helpless as the boat which the wind leads astray upon the waters” (Bhagavadgîtâ II. 70).

Below are some passages that are similar to the passages Blavatsky quotes :

So knowing the supreme,
And sustaining the self with Self,
Slay the foe whose form is desire,
So hard to conquer, Arjuna. (B.G., 3.43)

The seer (Atman, Self) is not born, nor does he die,
He does not originate from anybody, nor does he become anybody,
Eternal, ancient one, he remains eternal,
he is not killed, even though the body is killed.

If the killer thinks that he kills,
if the killed thinks that he is killed,
they do not understand;
for this one does not kill, nor is that one killed.

The Self (Atman), smaller than small, greater than great,
is hidden in the heart of each creature,
Free from avarice, free from grief, peaceful and content,
he sees the supreme glory of Atman.

(Katha Upanishad, 1.2.18-1.2.20)

Detached from thoughts of sense-desire, all fetters overpassed, delight-in-being quite destroyed—who in the deep sinks not. (SN 1.9 177)

Though one is touched by Worldly Dharmas (honour and dishonour, blame and praise, happiness, dissatisfaction) yet one’s mind does never waver, griefless, spotless and secure: this is a supreme good omen. (SN 2.4, 271)

Victory brings hate, because the defeated man is unhappy. He who surrenders victory and defeat, this man finds joy. (Dhammapada 15, 201)

8- Therefore it has been thought better to make a judicious selection only from those treatises which will best suit the few real mystics in the Theosophical Society, and which are sure to answer their needs. It is only these who will appreciate these words of Krishna-Christos, the “Higher Self”: —

“Sages do not grieve for the living nor the dead. Never did I not exist, nor you, nor these rulers of men; nor will any one of us ever hereafter cease to be.” (Bhagavadgîtâ II. 27).

9-In this translation, I have done my best to preserve the poetical beauty of language and imagery which characterise the original. How far this effort has been successful, is for the reader to judge. — “H.P.B.”

The language does make liberal use of traditional metaphors from eastern poetics, and has many similarities in style to the Stanzas of Dzyan from the Secret Doctrine (see for example, Stanza 7 in book I). It’s safe to say that some of the classic Theosophical suggested texts have similar ideas to the Voice of the Silence: Baghavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, Light on the Path, Dhammapada, and I think that they can be considered complementary for the study of this text. For a Mahayana text close in spirit, Santideva’s Bodhisattvacharyavarta can be mentioned. Of course Blavatsky contributed to an extensive study of eastern spiritual texts through The Theosophist and elsewhere, in parallel with Max Muller and others. For example, in her Gems from the East, she cites the following :

Cūla Kamma Vibhaṅga Sutta (The Discourse on the Lesser Analysis of Karma) (MN 135)

Dhammapada (KN 2)

Mahāmangala Sutta (KN 1,5)

Sutta Nipata (KN 5)

Vasala Sutta (The Discourse on Outcastes) (Sn 1.7)

Vāsettha Sutta (MN 98)

Udānavarga: A Collection of Verses from the Buddhist Canon

Sutra Of The 42 Chapters (or Sutra Of The 42 Sections)

Saddharma-Pundarîka (The Lotus of the True Law)

Rigveda

Upanishads: Kaṭha (marked by index K), Maitrâyana Brâhmana (MB), Brihadâranyaka (B), Mundaka (M), Svetâsvatara (S), Khândogya (Kh).

The Vishnu Purana

The Ordinances of Manu (Laws of Manu)

Mahabharata ( Book 5, section Sanatsugâtîya; Book 12, section Mokshadharma; Book 14, section Anugîtâ)

The Javidan Khirad

A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language, by Dr. Charles Wells, London (1880)

 

Part 2